Apr 29, 2013

Nowadays, technology is a part of every aspect of our lives. No matter where you go, a developing country uses an improving technology. We use technology for more than just accessing information. We use it for easy banking, bill paying, filing personal information and sending information to others. It makes our life a lot easier, but at the same time risky.

In order to be safe in using technology we rely on passwords to protect our identities and accounts. One simple “password” is all that it takes to safeguard our personal files against a possible huge headache if it is cracked by a hacker gaining access to it. A weak password is better than no password at all, but still not a good idea. It might deter a hacker for sometimes, but not for too long.

Though we can’t do anything with the hackers, extra security measures can be used to make cracking more difficult. It is by using a complex password. A complex password is critical to online security. It is different from a regular password because it uses more keyboard numbers, symbols and letters. A complex password is a strong password that is much more secure.

In creating a strong complex password you can think of a phrase or a sentence, to use as a clue to your password. Example: ” My female cat Meow has 2 blue eyes” Then the password could be MfcMh2be. This is a strong complex password and it won’t be as hard to remember since it is connected to a sentence. Mix capital letters with numbers. Adding symbols would make it more complex like **_MfcMh2be_** or –_MfcMh2be_-. Avoid using your name or screen name as your password. The length of the password should be from 10-14 letters and symbols. The more symbols the higher the security strength. Do not use passwords that are dictionary words, names, phone numbers and dates even words that are connected to you like your sports and favorites.

Using different passwords in your different accounts is a big thing. This way if someone tried to crack your password, they won’t have the access in your every account. Do not use shared computers to access your accounts. These include computers that are open to the public like internet cafes, kiosks, schools and libraries.

Laptop computers may be less secure as you use them in different places, so make sure your laptop has strong passwords.

Password protection is very important. Most security experts agree that you should never write down your password boldly and keep the information in an easily accessible area. If you must write down your passwords then write it using initials, clues, or drawings then store the information in a very safe place with your other valuables… do not write anything that would make it an obvious password. Another idea is to develop a code that will jar your memory so you can remember the password. This way the password in code won’t make any sense to anyone but you. Always keep your passwords secret and change them ever 30-60 days. Always keep track of your banking accounts and monitor them regularly for changes you did not make.